The Queen and Her Shadow
by chattyxx
Summary: "It's troublesome, but I'll be your protector from the shadows till the end of time" Pairing: ShikaNaru Sequel to Waiting for Her, but can be read seperately


A/N: Whoop I'm on a roll~ Here's a ShikaNaru fanfic for whoever reads this. This can be considered a sequel for Waiting for Her, but also can be read independently. Anyway, forgive my mistakes and do review and fave this fanfic. I'll update more soon, maybe a Naruto fanfic? Or a Kuroko No Basuke fanfic. Let's see where my inspiration takes me when I'm left with a notebook and a pen. Sorry for rambling, so here's the fanfiction. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor receive any profits from it.

For years, the Nara clan has supported their Hokages from the shadows. After all, shadows cannot exist without light. And Shikamaru cannot imagine a life without Naruko.

_It is within the shadows of the Hokage seat that he stands, a protective shadow whispering words of wisdom into the ear of the girl he loves._

He has long accepted that he loves her, her overly loud voice, her confident strut, her strong presence, he loves every part of her, her perfections and her imperfections. There is no part of her he finds troublesome, and there is no part of her that he doesn't like.

_He knows he will be her support for as long as she wanted him to, and he promises he will keep Naruko protected from the darkness of the world._

He is a clan heir and she a flitting kunoichi, and he knows that he has a duty to the clan to marry and reproduce. He knows that he has to get a wife before he hits his thirties, for a shinobi's life is short and time is scarce, so if he is unable to hold her down by that time, he has to marry another. It pains him, but that is what he must do.

_She looks at him with care in his eyes, but he knows that she has never seen him in that way._

Shikamaru keeps hoping, that one day, she will look at him with something more in her eyes. He knows it may never happen, and he knows that he is not the only one who longs for her love, but he promises himself that he will fight for her from the shadows.

_She sits in her hard earned throne, looking straight ahead, looking every bit of a legendary kunoichi. Her comrades crowd around her, and she smiles lightly at them, but never spares them more than a glance._

Shikamaru knows Naruko feels lonely sitting on the seat she had always wanted to obtain, for he always sees her smiling sadly at the photos of the precious people she places on her table. It is rare for her to be able to make time for them and all Shikamaru wants to do when he sees her like that is hug her tightly.

_Every time she smiles at him, his heart wrenches at how perfect she is, and Shikamaru knows it is her who keeps him going, her bright light even in times of darkness is what guides him, it is what keeps him sane._

The shinobi world is a tough place, there is no room for weakness and the deaths and guilt is enough to destroy a person. When the female Hokage looks at reports of deaths of shinobi in the line of duty, she looks at Shikamaru and tells him, a grateful look in her eyes, that it is her comrades that keep her alive. Shikamaru never fails to clasp her hand in times like this and tells her that to him and her many precious friends, she is their life buoy that keeps them afloat. Then he kisses the back of her hand, hiding his sad smile from her. She stared at him strangely the first time he did it, but has grown used to it over the years.

_Sometimes, Shikamaru feels her slipping away from him, and although she is always there, he never is able to reach her. It is an endless nightmare that haunts him on sleepless nights, and many times, right before he jolts awake, he catches a glimpse of her blank blue eyes._

There are times when Shikamaru feels Naruko is becoming less of the ray of sunshine she was when he first met the girl in the Academy and more like a Hokage. She holds so much more responsibility, and he felt as if the many years of shinobi life is finally catching up to the idealistic girl he fell for. Yet at times where it seems the darkest, she flashes her bright smile and all seemed right with the world again.

_Once in a while, she smiles a overly bright smile at him, all teeth and dull eyes and not a bit of sincerity. It is times like this he wishes he could hug her tight and tell her his feelings. Yet that moment passes before he can gather his courage together and tell her what he feels. He is so afraid that if her ever tells her, she will break apart before his eyes._

Shikamaru cannot count the number of times he tried to confess, but as soon as he tries to say those three precious words, he is overwhelmed by fear. Fear that she would leave when she hears what he has to say, fear that she would reject him outright, fear that he will ruin his chance. The words get stuck in his throat, a bitter aftertaste as he swallows them down again, and he never actually says what he wants to. He promises himself that one day he would tell them to her, the words he never said.

_He watches as she lies on the table, snoring softly. He makes sure no one is around before he reaches down to stroke her sleeping face. It is silent for a moment, and it is during times like that that he feels most at peace._

Even though she remains the most pure hearted of the Konoha Twelve, there is always this guarded look in her beautiful baby blues, and he knows she is always prepared for assassins, a kunai always accessible. She can never truly let down her guard, because in the Shinobi world, a moment is all it takes to lose your life. So Shikamaru is grateful that she feels safe enough around him to let herself rest and be at her most vulnerable. After all, he is the one who has sworn to protect her even at the cost of his own life.

_She is the only person he will put in effort for. He will fulfill all her wishes, and he will go to the ends of the world for her._

He complains a lot that everything is troublesome, but he knows that when it comes to her, it is more of a reflex than anything else. He could never find her troublesome after all. Only when it come to her, he will do anything to keep her happy.

_A tear slides down her face, and he sees it immediately. He rushes to kneel before her, his thumb swiping the stray tear away. He hugs her tightly, stroking her golden hair. The shadow and the queen._

He supposes, if he could never win her love, it would be enough for him to be able to protect her for as long as he could. After all, he was her shadow knight and would stay with her for life. He will always be the shadow behind the light that is Naruko.

_For her, he will wait till the end of time. For he loves her beyond what words can express._


End file.
